Which one of the following artworks was hailed by Sister Nivedita as the 'first masterpiece of Indian art'?

The painting 'Bharatmata' (originally titled 'Banga Mata') by Abanindranath Tagore was hailed by Sister Nivedita as the 'first masterpiece of Indian art' [3]. Painted in 1905 during the Swadeshi movement, it depicts a saffron-clad woman in the style of a sadhvi, holding four symbolic objects: a book (Shiksha), sheaves of paddy (Anna), a piece of white cloth (Vastra), and a rudraksha garland (Diksha). Sister Nivedita was a profound admirer of the work, noting its potential to awaken national consciousness and serve as a symbol for nationalist forces. She introduced the painting in the magazine 'Prabasi', describing it as the beginning of a new age in Indian art that moved away from Western naturalism toward indigenous roots. The artwork became an iconic representation of the motherland, personifying the nation's cultural and economic aspirations.

Sources

1. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Impact in the Cultural Sphere > p. 267